Mental Hygiene. Tips from Tracey Browning, Confidence and Mindset Coach
Not the kind that cults use to suck you in– I’m talking about mental hygiene. Taking care of your brains, your actual physical brains AND your mindset.
Here in the US, we are several weeks into dealing with the Corona virus and we’re hearing so much information. A constant refrain of “Wash your hands, Wash your hands”. Use soap, scrub under your fingernails, sing the happy birthday song, keep it going for that long so you’re getting a good thorough hand washing because it’s an effective way to stop the transmission of germs, right? Ok.
Well, I believe we need to be paying as much, if not MORE attention, to washing our brains.
Our mindset is what will determine how well we survive and THRIVE through this time.
You gotta feed it well. The things you want to put in your body to make it strong and healthy- they’re good for your brain too. Good proteins, fruits and veggies, a lot of water. Good stuff for your brain washing.
NOT the sugar that so many of us want to go to when we’re stressed or when we’re bored. A lot of folks are eating out of boredom now because they’re at home, not knowing what else to do.
When we’re stressed, we do tend to want to eat sugar. True confession here: had a bag of jelly beans and I left them open on the counter and, before the day was over on Thursday, I had eaten the whole bag of jelly beans! I didn’t mean to. I just kept walking by popping a couple more in my mouth because I left jelly beans out instead of carrot sticks which, honestly, I would have walked by and munched on just as easily as the jelly beans. But I was kind of stressed and a little bit bored.
Exercise is not just good for your body- it’s good for your brain! When you’re moving, when you’re physically active, you get oxygen coming through and it helps release endorphins and feel-good chemicals in your body and your brain.
Now, also, kudos if you learn a NEW exercise or movement because that helps create new connections in your brain. And your brain really does like having new connections. Yeah, it likes routines and patterns but your brain likes new things- it’s challenging!
So for my exercise daily I do yoga and walk my dogs but I’m also learning how to swing dance (which is kind of challenging because I’m not incredibly graceful) and I’m learning how to bellydance. No, I will not demonstrate that.
Now you don’t control the weather, obviously. But if you can get out in the sunshine, ah, your body will produce vitamin D and serotonin and melatonin. And that is SO important for your brain and for your sleep. Oh goodness! Bonus points if you exercise in the sunshine.
Even more bonus points if you take off your shoes and socks and sink your toes into the ground and just spend some time connecting with nature because our brains love nature.
Get a good night of sleep. Our brains use our sleep time to process information, to refresh and clean and restore our actual brains. We all know we just do not have optimal function without a good night of sleep. So sweet dreams!
We all enjoy a good laugh and if you really get a good belly laugh I like to think I’m strengthening my abdominal muscles too. Laugh! It jiggles your brain! We all need a brain jiggle! It lightens things up. It’s just good for you. It helps your immunity also. So laughter, it’s good for your soul AND your brain.
Alright, we’ve covered some great things you can do to keep your brain happy and healthy. Good food, movement, sunshine, nature, a good night of sleep and laughter.
Now this isn’t an all-inclusive list. We didn’t talk about supplements and other things you can do to strengthen and improve your brain but these are some easy, inexpensive things to do. Only food costs money, everything else is free. It’s just a matter of paying attention to what you’re doing, to keep your brain in good shape. Keep it happy and healthy.
In our next video, we’ll talk more about how to improve your mindset, how to give yourself a powerful mindset that’s resilient so you can move through peacefully and strongly and securely in times of stress.
I wish you well! Happy, healthy brains! Here is to your Brain Washing!
Peace and love, my friends.
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~This is a transcript of the YouTube Video~
Life coaching tips from Tracey at tbrowning.